Bag tagger



M. D. KING Aug. 29, 1967 BAG TAGGER Filed May 11, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 //v VEN TOR MYRO/V 0- KING BY (M M AT TOR/v52 9, 1967 M. D. KING 3,338,192

BAG 'IAGGER Filed May 11, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 lNVE/VTOF? MYHO/V 0- KING ATTORNEY 1967 M. D. KING 3,338,192

BAG TAGGER Filed May 11, 1965 I 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 LT Oi T 53 65 1 3 .4 /39 INVENTOH MYRON 0- KING 4 37 E IQM A T TORNE Y 9, 1967 M. D. KING 3,338,192

BAG TAGGER Filed May 11, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN VE/V T01? MYRO/V 0- KING A T TOR/V5 Y Aug. 29, 1967 M. D. KING 3,333,192

BAG TAGGER Filed May 11, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR MYRO/V 0. KING ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,338,192 BAG TAGGER Myron D. King, Pike County, 111., assignor to California Pellet Mill Company, a corporation of California Filed May 11, 1965, Ser. No.454,900 Claims. (Cl. 112-11) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A label feeding mechanism for a bag closing machine. A compressed air controlled pickup arm automatically moves the labels from a tag storage means to a position adjacent the sewing apparatus of the closing machine whereby the labels are sewn into the seam which seals the bag. The control means for moving the tags are responsive to the passage of the bags through the closing machine.

Background of the invention My invention relates to apparatus for receiving a succession of filled fabric or paper bags or the like standing in an upright position, for example on a moving conveyor belt, and sewing together the closed upper ends, and particularly refers to means for automatically and simultaneously positioning and feeding a stifi" paper label or tag into the sewing head with each bag so that it is secured to one side of the latter in a convenient and permanent manner.

Heretofore such labels have either been pasted to the filled sacks or have been fed manually into the sewing head one at a time while the closed end of the sack was being sewed. This latter procedure was not only slow but also hazardous to the operator and usually resulted in haphazard and uncertain positioning of the tag on the sack.

Objects of the invention Among the objects of this invention are:

(1) To provide a novel and improved mechanism that is synchronized exactly and uniformly with a bag sewing machine to feed in a stiff label of paper, fabric, plastic, or the like to be securely attached to the side of the bag near one end thereof;

(2) To provide a simple and economical construction for a mechanism of this type that is readily adapted to existing bag sewing machines, so that the latter may be operated at a higher rate of speed than was possible heretofore;

(3) To provide a label feeding and attaching machine that is fully automatic and does not require any manual manipulation that would be a hazard to the operator.

These and other objects and advantages will be further apparent from the following specification and the attached drawings, which describe and illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention as applied to a conventional bag sewing head and its associated conveying means.

Description of the drawings In the drawings: w

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of a bag conveyor and sewing machine to which an embodiment of the invention has been attached.

FIGURE 2 is an end elevational view of the machine of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of the assembly of FIG- URES land 2.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged horizontal and part sectional view taken on line IVIV of FIGURE 1, showing the tag feeding means in retracted position and ready to be actuated to remove a tag from the storage means.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged horizontally and part sectional view also taken on line IVIV of FIGURE 1, but differs from FIGURE 4 by showing the tag feeding means in extended position to place the tag against the side of the closed end of the sack as it enters the sewing machamsm.

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on line VI,VI of FIGURE 4, showing the position of the stored tags in their holding clamp and the pickup arm ready to remove the outermost tag.

FIGURE 7 is a diagrammatic view, partially in section, showing the microswitch, 4-way valve and pressure and vacuum sources and connections of an illustrative example of the invention.

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical sectional view of the pickup arm only, in the retracted position of FIGURE 4, with the vacuum control valve in open position to engage a tag from its clamp.

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical sectional view of the pickup arm only, in its extended position of FIGURE 5, with the vacuum control valve closed to release a tag to the sewing head. These two figures also illustrate a simple alternative form of this invention, usable under certain conditions known in the art.

FIGURE 10 is an enlarged top plan view of a portion of the pickup arm in the position of FIGURE 9 showing specifically the relationship between the vacuum control valve and its actuating abutment, and with a valve latching rod or trigger to hold the valve in closed position while the arm is returned for a successive tag.

FIGURE 11 is an enlarged vertical section of the pickup arm vacuum valve and latch therefor, taken on line XI-XI of FIGURE 10.

FIGURE 12 is a top perspective view of the entire outer portion of the pickup arm in the position shown best in FIGURES 4 and 10 with the vacuum valve in the position there described.

FIGURE 13 is a perspective view of a filled and sewed bag with the tag secured thereto by the mechanism of this invention.

Description of the preferred embodiment Referring to the drawings and particularly to FIG- URES l, 2 and 4, reference numeral 1 designates a table on which is mounted a horizontal sewing machine head generally designated 3, desirably adjustable vertically by a slidable Support member 5 having a handwheel 7 and a counterweight 9 so that sacks or bags 11 of different heights may be handled. Sewing head 3 is driven through a belted pulley 13 from any suitable power source, not shown, and is adapted to stitch together the upper end 15 of a filled and closed sack 11 supported on a conveyor means 17 and guided by a horizontal side rail 19.

Sewing head 3 may be of any desired type, and in this illustrative example, as best illustrated diagrammatically in FIGURE 7, has a transversely horizontally reciprocable needle 21 carrying thread or cord 23 opposed to a longitudinally horizontally reciprocable serrated bag feed means 25. A resilient pressure plate or foot 27 is opposed to feed means 25 and serves to press together the two layers of fabric or paper of the closed upper end 15 of bag 11 during the stitching operation and in this case, also starts and stops the power supplied to the sewing head, imitating the operation when the leading end 29 of 15 enters the space between it and the sewing head feed means 25, and terminating it when the sewed end 15 passes out of the sewing head.

At one side of sewing head 3, desirably beyond the needle 21 in the direction of travel of the sack end 15, is a microswitch 31 which is engaged by the leading end 29 of the already stitched portion of the top of the bag, and which serves to control the tag feeding means about to be described. Alternatively, the pressure plate 27 could be utilized to engage the microswitch 31 at the time the leading end 29 enters the sewing head means 3, which would place the tag somewhat closer to leading end 29, if that is desired.

Referring now to FIGURES 4, and 6, which illustrate more particularly this present invention of the tag feeding means as distinguished from the bag sewing equipment which forms its environment, reference numeral 33 designates an open metal frame adapted to be supported from table 1 to be adjacent to the bag inlet side of sewing head 3. The end wall 35 of frame 33 supports a horizontal base plate 37 and a top formed by a slidable angle plate 39, the latter having an adjusting screw 41 to form a clamp or storage container generally designated 43, for a plurality of paper, cardboard or plastic labels or tags 45. These are desirably confined, to be concave toward the sewing head 3, as shown, to facilitate sequential separation during operation, as will be discussed below.

The rear wall 37 of frame 33 is provided with a pair of horizontal rods 49 on which a carrier 51 is adapted to slide. Carrier 51 has two horizontal brackets 53 and 55, to which are pivotally connected to a horizontal toggle arm 57 and a horizontal tag pickup arm 59, respectively. The toggle linkage being completed by another horizontal arm 61 pivoted between the outer end of arm 57 and a point on arm 59, as shown. Supported above end wall 35 by a pivoted bracket 63 is a horizontal conventional air cylinder 65 having a piston rod 67 and the usual air pressure connections 69 and 71 (FIGURE 6) at either end. A rod 73 extends vertically upwardly from the pivoted connection between toggle arms 57 and 59 to engage rigidly the outer end of piston rod 67, due to the ofiset position of cylinder 65 above frame 33 and the plane of the toggle unit (see FIGURE 1).

It will be apparent from FIGURES 4 and 5 that actuation of air cylinder 65 to retract piston rod 67 and toggle unit 57-61 will cause pickup arm 59 to swing into contact with the outermost tag 45 in clamp 43 (FIGURE 4). Extension of the rod 67 will extend toggle 57-61 to swing arm 59 horizontally to carry the tag 43 to a position to enter the sewing head 3 (FIGURE 5). To accomplish the sequence, a source of air pressure 75 (FIGURE 7) is provided, in this example connected by conduit 77 to a conventional 4-way magnetically operated 4-way valve 79, for example, that manufactured by Skinner Electric Valve Co. of New Britain, Conn, under US. Patent No. 2,821,997. This valve is controlled by microswitch 31, previously described, through leads 81 and a suitable electric power source. So long as the machine is empty, i.e., no bag upper end 15 is passing through the sewing head 3 and pressure plate 27 to engage microswitch 31, that switch will maintain the 4-way valve 73 in position to connect air pressure source 75 through conduits 77 and 83 to air inlet 69 of cylinder 65, venting inlet 71 to atrmosphere, and thus retracting piston rod 67 and toggle unit 57-61 to the position of FIGURE 4, with the tag pickup arm 59 engaging the tags 45 in clamp 43.

When a bag 11 is fed into the sewing apparatus so that its closed upper end 15 passes between the sewing head 3 and pressure plate 27 to engage microswitch 31, that switch will act to control the 4-way valve 79 to connect the air pressure source 75 through conduits 77 and 85 to air inlet 71 of cylinder 65, venting inlet 69 to atmosphere, and thus extending piston rod 67 and toggle unit 57-61 to the position of FIGURE 5, with the tag pickup arm 59 carrying the outermost tag 45 to enter the throat 87 between the end of guide plate 89 forming the front wall of frame 33, and the face of sewing head feed 25, to be sewed against the rear face of the bag end 15 by reciprocating needle 21 and thread 23 (FIGURE 7).

The horizontal rods 49, on which carrier 51 slides, serve as a compensation device for the changing thickness of the stack of tags 45 in the tag storage means 37-43. When the piston rod 67 of the air cylinder 65 is extended,

the carrier is pushed toward the sewing head 3 until the carrier is abutting a stop means at the ends of the rods proximate the sewing head. When the cylinder 65 retracts, the pickup arm 59 first doubles over forming a right angle with the horizontal bracket 53. Then as the cylinder continues to retract the piston rod 67, the carrier 51 slides on the guide means or horizontal rods 49 until the stack of tags 45 is contacted by the end of the pickup arm 59 and the movement halted. The movement of this mechanism adjusts automatically to any thickness of a stack of tags that can be accommodated by the tag storage means 37-43.

A vacuum pump 91 communicates through a shut-off valve 93 and conduit 95 with a longitudinal bore 97 in pickup arm 59 and thence through an apertured control valve member 99 to a resilient suction cup 101 at the outer end of that arm, thus enabling the arm to Withdraw a single tag from clamp 43 and carry out the lastnamed operation. Desirably, in order to enable the tag 45 entering the sewing head 3 to be released readily by the suction cup 101, control valve 99 is closed just as the pickup arm 59 reaches its fully extended position (FIGURE 7). This may be accomplished by providing the valve 99 with an outwardly extending portion 103, which engages an abutment 105 fixed on bracket 53 (FIGURES 4 and 5) and forces the valve body 99 inwardly against spring 107 and thus interrupts the vacuum being exerted in bore 97 by vacuum pump 91 (FIGURE 7). In the preferred embodiment of the invention, to restore this communication between suction cup 101 and pump 91 when the pickup arm 51 is returned to the position of FIGURE 4, after the passage of sewed sack end 15 past microswitch 31 is completed, as described above, a trigger mechanism may be used, such as the one detailed in FIGURES 4, 5, 7 and particularly 10 and 11.

In this example, the trigger mechanism illustrated comprises a rod 109, slidably carried by small brackets 111 and 113 on arm 59 and provided with a spring 115 normally urging the rod 109 toward the outer end of the arm. The upper end 117 of rod 109 is turned at right angles to be parallel to the axis of vacuum control valve 99 and to be outside of arm 59. The inner end of valve 99 is received in a hollow boss 119 projecting transversely from arm 59 (FIGURE 11), is held therein by spring 107 retained by pin 121 across boss 119, and has a small pin 123 projecting outwardly through a slot 125 in the boss so that it may be engaged by the outer end of the right angled tip 117 of trigger rod 109. The outer tip of trigger rod 109 terminates adjacent to the face of resilient suction cup 101 and desirably is threaded thereon and provided with a lock nut 127 for adjustment.

When pickup arm 59 is fully extended so that abutment 105 displaces vacuum control valve 99 inwardly against spring 107 to close bore 97, projecting pin 123 slips past the end of angle tip 117, of the trigger rod 109, where it is held by the resultant positioning of that rod by spring 115 (FIGURE 10). This keeps valve 99 closed while the pickup arm 59 is returned by control valve 79 and its associated toggle 59-61 and air cylinder 65 to engage suction cup 101 with the next outermost tag 45 in clamp 43 (FIGURE 4). The toggle retraction not only engages the cup with the tag, but slides carrier 51 in frame 33 along its support rods 49. The proportions being such as to accommodate a variable thickness of the stored tags 45 and also to engage the outer end of trigger rod 109 with the stored tags, urging it inwardly along arm 59 and releasing the tip 117 from its engagement with pin 123 on vacuum valve 99. That valve, under the influence of its spring 107, returns to its open position as shown in FIGURE 8. Thus, the apparatus is again in readiness for a repetition of the cycle just described in detail.

If desired, the trigger mechanism just described could be omitted, and operation would usually be satisfactory for certain types of labels or tags, as the momentary interruption of the vacuum by the engagement of abutment V 105 with valve 99 would normally serve to release the hold of the suction cup 101 on its tag 45. Return of the arm 59 to the position of FIGURE 4 involving the return of valve member 99 to its open position by the spring 107 when the projection 103 no longer contacts abutment 105, would permit full vacuum to be reestablished through bore 97, to enable the cup to pick up the next outermost tag from its clamp 43. In this alternative example, the essential relationships are illustrated in FIG- URES 8 and 9.

Although a specific example of a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described and illustrated, it will be apparent that modifications and changes may be made without departing from its essential features as set forth in the appended claims, and all such that are within their scope are intended to be embraced thereby.

I claim:

1. A tag feeding mechanism for use with a bag-sewing machine having a sewing head for receiving the upstanding closed end of a fabric bag or the like comprising a frame,

a tag storage means in said frame for positioning a plurality of tags in a substantially vertical plane,

a carrier reciprocably mounted in said frame,

a pickup arm pivotally secured at one end to said carrier and terminating in a suction cup for engaging a tag in said storage means,

an air cylinder mounted on said frame and provided with a piston linked to said carrier and to said pickup arm,

a source of compressed air for said cylinder,

a control switch adapted to be positioned on said sewing head to be engaged by the upper end of a bag passing therethrough,

valve means responsive to said control switch for connecting said compressed air source to one end of said cylinder to extend said piston when the bag being sewed engages said switch,

a vacuum source connected to said suction cup normally to retain a tag on said pickup arm,

the extension of said piston actuating said carrier said linkage and said arm to detach a tag from said storage means and to convey it against the side of the closed end of said bag to enter said sewing head therewith,

a vacuum control valve carried by said pickup arm adapted to engage an abutment on said carrier for interrupting said vacuum to said cup to release the tag carried by said arm when said arm is fully extended by said piston and said linkage,

said control switch being responsive to the passage of said bag through said sewing head to connect said compressed air source to the opposite end of said cylinder retracting said piston and the means connected therewith causing said suction cup to engage with the outermost tag in said storage means.

2. A tag feeding mechanism according to claim 1, with the addition of a latch for said vacuum control valve to retain it in closed position until said arm and said cup is returned to said storage means.

3. A tag feeding mechanism for use with a bag-sewing machine having a horizontal sewing head, a vertical pressure plate, and means responsive to the upstanding closed end of a fabric bag or the like entering said sewing head for starting and stopping said head, said tag feeding means comprising a frame adapted to be positioned adajacent to the inlet side of said sewing head,

a vertically adjustable clamp in said frame for positioning and retaining the upper and lower edges of a plurality of tags,

a carrier slidably mounted to reciprocate horizontally in said frame,

a pickup arm pivotally secured at one end to said carrier and provided at the other end with a resilient suction cup for engaging the face of the outermost tag in said clamp, 7 an air cylinder mounted on said frame and provided with a piston connected by a toggle to said carrier and to said pickup arm,

a source of compressed air for said cylinder,

a microswitch positioned on said sewing head to be engaged by the upper end of a bag passing therethrough,

a four-way valve responsive to said microswitch for connecting said compressed air source to' one end of said cylinder to extend said piston when the closed end of a bag being sewed engages said microswitch,

a source of vacuum for said suction cup normally to retain the outermost tag in said clamp against said pickup arm,

the extension of said piston actuating said carrier said toggle and said arm to detach the outermost tag from said clamp and convey it against the side of the closed end of said bag to enter said sewing head therewith and to be sewed to said bag,

a control valve in said pickup arm for engaging an abutment on said carrier for interrupting the vacuum to said cup when said arm is fully extended to release the tag carried thereby,

said microswitch being so positioned to connect said compressed air source to the other end of said cylinder to retract said piston, said toggle, said carrier, and said pickup arm after said bag end has passed entirely through said sewing head thereby to engage said suction cup with the next outermost tag in said clamp.

4. A tag feeding mechanism according to claim 3 with the addition of actuating means extending from said vacuum control valve along said pickup arm and terminating adjacent said suction cup for reconnecting said cup to said vacuum source when said arm is returned by said carrier to said last-named position.

5. A tag feeding mechanism for use with a bag sealing machine having a sewing head for horizontal needle reciprocation and a conveyor for feeding the closed upper ends of bags through the sewing head, said mechanism comprising a frame secured adjacent the inlet side of said sewing head,

guide means integral to said frame parallel the direction of motion of said conveyor and having stop means at the end of said guide means proximate said sewing head,

a carrier slidably mounted on said guide means for reciprocating horizontal motion,

a mounting bracket projecting horizontally from said carrier,

a pickup arm pivotally secured at one end to the projecting end of said stud, the other end of said arm provided with a suction orifice,

a pair of toggle links pivotally joined at adjacent ends, the other end of one of said links hingedly secured to said carrier on the side of said projecting stud removed from said sewing head, the remaining end of said links hingedly secured to said pickup arm,

an adjustable clamping means disposed in said frame for holding a plurality of tags in a curved shape in a generally vertical position disposed generally perpendicular to said guide means,

an air cylinder mounted on said frame and provided with a reciprocating piston connected to the joint between said toggle links and formed for causing the suction end of said pickup arm to move to the tag clamping means when said piston is retracted and to move to a position relatively adjacent said sewing head with said carrier means abutting said stop means when said piston is extended,

7 a combination vacuum-compressor pump for supplying compressed air to said cylinder and vacuum to the suction end of said pickup arm, a microswitch secured adjacent the sewing head for activation by the passage of a bag through said sewing head,

a four-way valve responsive to the activation of said extended to release the tag carried by said arm, and actuating means extending from said control valve for reactivating the vacuum to said suction cup actuated by contact with the outermost ta-g when said piston is retracted.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 963,170 7/1910 Parker 221-211 1,173,819 2/1916 Logan a 221211 X 1,816,319 7/1931 Eksergian 27127 2,313,433 3/1943 Golden 112-104 2,845,886 8/1958 Newnhan 1l2-1 1 2,950,589 8/1960 Litchard 27127 X JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

A. R. GUEST, Assistant Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3 ,338 ,192 August 29 1967 Myron D. King It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below Column 3 line 20 for the numeral "37" read 47 Signed and sealed this 20th day of August 1968.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD J. BRENNER Edward M. Fletcher, Jr.

Commissioner of Patents Attesting Officer 

1. A TAG FEEDING MECHANISM FOR USE WITH A BAG-SEWING MACHINE HAVIANG A SEWING HEAD FOR RECEIVING THE UPSTANDING CLOSED END OF A FABRIC BAG OR THE LIKE COMPRISING A FRAME, A TAG STORAGE MEANS IN SAID FRAME FOR POSTIONING A PLURALITY OF TAGS IN SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL PLANE, A CARRIER RECIPROCABLY MOUNTED IN SAID FRAME, A PICKUP ARM PIVOTALLY SECURED AT ONE END TO SAID CARRIER AND TERMINATING IN A SUCTION CUP FOR ENGAGING A TAG IN SAID STORAGE MEANS, AN AIR CYLINDER MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME AND PROVIDED WITH A PISTON LINKED TO SAID CARRIER TO SAID PICKUP ARM, A SOURCE OF COMPRESSED AIR FOR SAID CYLINDER, A CONTROL SWITCH ADAPTED TO BE POSITIONED ON SAID SEWING HEAD TO BE ENGAGED BY THE UPPER END OF A BAG PASSING THERETHROUGH, VALVE MEANS RESPONSIVE TO SAID CONTROL SWITCH FOR CONNECTING SAID COMPRESSED AIR SOURCE TO ONE END OF SAID CYLINDER TO EXTEND SAID PISTON WHEN THE BAG BEING SEWED ENGAGES SAID SWITCH, A VACUUM SOURCE CONNECTED TO SAID SUCTION CUP NORMALLY TO RETAIN A TAG ON SAID PICKUP ARM, THE EXTENSION OF SAID PISTON ACTUATING SAID CARRIER SAID LINKAGE AND SAID ARM TO DETACH A TAG FROM SAID STORAGE MEAS AND TO CONVEY IT AGAINST THE SIDE OF THE CLOSED END OF SAID BAG TO ENTER SAID SEWING HEAD THEREWITH, A VACUUM CONTROL VALVE CARRIED BY SAID PICKUP ARM ADAPTED TO ENGAGE AN ABUTMENT ON SAID CARRIER FOR INTERRUPTING SAID VACUUM TO SAID CUP TO RELEASE THE TAG CARRIED BY SAID ARM WHEN SAID ARM IS FULLY EXTENDED BY SAID PISTON AND SAID LINKAGE, SAID CONTROL SWITCH BEING RESPONSIVE TO THE PASSAGE OF SAID BAG THROUGH SAID SEWING HEAD TO CONNECT SAID COMPRESSED AIR SOURCE TO THE OPPOSITE END OF SAID CYLINDER RETRACTING SAID PISTON AND THE MEANS CONNECTED THEREWITH CAUSING SAID SUCTION CUP TO ENGAGE WITH THE OUTERMOST TAG IN SAID STORAGE MEANS. 